JON CARROLL -- Go Team Go, Or Stay. Whatever.

Published 4:00 am, Thursday, April 24, 1997

MANY ARE THE expressions of wonderment at the current plight of the 49ers, who are trying unsuccessfully to persuade people to support their new stadium by allowing the city to go into debt to finance same.

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The Giants
, by contrast, even the new, improved April Madness Giants, are having trouble at the box office. They are only semi-beloved. Their new stadium raises serious traffic and environmental concerns. And yet, their stadium is on track and ready to rumble. It could be the differing financing structures, but actually this feels like a vote from the heart. What can be going on?

I have a theory. Heck, I always have a theory.

First, the people of San Francisco have a twisted relationship with their mayor. They kind of like him because he's so very zany and self-confident and outrageous. He's a real big-city mayor, and we haven't one of those since Joe Alioto. He invites people to affectionately stroke his rear end if they do not like what he's doing. It's pretty funny.

On the other hand, he's a fixer. He's a manipulator. He is apparently without scruple. And so it's fun to see him lose. It's fun to see him fume. He fumes better than any other politician since Lyndon Johnson. And the Niners stadium is a perfect venue for Willie-baiting.

Take his cookie away; see him growl!

BUT THE SECOND reason is even more important: Most Niner fans have never seen the team in person. Season tickets are jealously guarded. Corporations control many and give them to out-of-town clients. Others are held by die-hards who attend every game. For the average fan, it's either scalper's prices, or really bad cheap seats, or stay home and watch it on the tube.

Baseball, by contrast, is available to all. You can walk up and get a good seat most of the time. If you're a little more fussy, you can buy a mini-plan, 10 games or 20 games or whatever. The constantly changing cast of spectators, plus the lazy Victorian pace of the game itself, gives everyone a small investment in the stadium. It's a family matter, almost; the Niners are more like an adult issue. Heart versus head.

So if the Niners don't get a new stadium, what happens, bottom line? They move. Except they don't, because they're right there on the TV set where they always were. Jerry Rice will always be three inches tall; who cares where he's three inches tall?

Me, I'm in favor of the new NinerMall. I like bringing business to the southeast corner of town. But I see why other people aren't so thrilled.

IN OTHER NEWS: Readers will remember my column a few months ago about Sheryl Kramer, who was waiting for an organ donor so she could have a double lung transplant. Her husband, Jerry, wrote me earlier this week:

"Jon, Sheryl had her transplant Thursday night. The 16-hour operation had complications, bleeding and such. . . . On Saturday they removed her breathing tube and took her off the ventilator. Today, Sunday, she got out of bed, walked a couple of steps to a chair, sat and talked without a cough or a wheeze. Forty minutes later she returned to bed with an animated smile unencumbered by the lack of O 2. Thought you'd wanna know."

Sheryl had a rare progressive disease called bronchiectasis. She was darned close to actual death when the new organs came. If you'd like to recycle your organs and save a life or two, call (800) 55-DONOR for complete info. Someone very like the not-late Sheryl Kramer will thank you.

Things are not as bad as they may appear, wait 'til next year and start, first you gotta have
jrc@sfgate.com

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